Pages

When I was in Little India (Toronto) picking up the alphonso mangoes at an Indian grocery store I took the opportunity to look for some paneer which I had been unable to find anywhere else. I was in luck as I found some bricks of the harder paneer and I picked some up right away. Over the last while I have been building a small list of recipes that I want to try that include paneer but since I had never been able to find any it just kept growing. The first recipe on my list was a butter paneer masala. The basics of a butter paneer masala seemed to be cubes of paneer that are fried in ghee until golden brown in an onion and tomato gravy with spices and ground cashews that is finished with butter and cream. One of the spices in this dish was garam masala which gave me the chance to use some of the
garam masala
that I had made a while ago. I decided to try to keep the dish a bit lighter and reduce the amount of butter and I replaced the cream with yogurt.

Many of the recipes that I found for the butter paneer masala called for soaking the paneer in water and I was not sure why until I had finished frying the paneer. The paneer was pretty hard after being fried and soaking it in the water softened it up a bit before adding it to the gravy. Needless to say, I tried some of the paneer before adding it to the gravy to see what it was like and it was just like a firm cheese with a crumbly texture on the inside. The paneer was pretty bland and flavourless but that was ok because it readily soaked up the flavours of the sauce that it was cooked in. The butter paneer masala was pretty straight forward and easy to make and it turned out really well. The onion and tomato gravy with cashews was nice and tasty and creamy with a hint of buttery. The paneer had a texture that I enjoyed and it had soaked up all of the tasty flavour from the sauce. I can't wait to use paneer again and now that I have more of an idea of what paneer is supposed to be I will have to try making my own.

75
comments:

I'm a sucker for anything Indian, and this looks right up my alley! I love paneer, although I've never cooked with it at home. Once while out to an Indian lunch buffet with a friend, she ate a LOT of the saag paneer. She said, "This tofu is really good." I had to break it to her, it's actually cheese! Not nearly as healthy as tofu!

Your Butter paneer looks better than any I've seen Kevin! Well done. Actually, I never fry my paneer coz I think it becomes rubbery. I think they store it in water, like a lot of soft,fresh cheeses, to keep it fresh & cuc ocntact with air. I make the gravy first, & gently simmer the paneer in it in the end. Try smoking the poaneer to add a different flavout. I love that variation!

The best part of you blog is that how u experience cuisines around the world! This looks great & done in a very authentic way.

For me I never soak my paneer in water... & if I ever saute/saute it at all, i do it very lightly, & then cover & simmer in the gravy for longer, which makes it soaks up the flavor & the liquid of the gravy.

Let me share with you my recipe for quick, soft and spongy paneer: boil a liter of full cream milk; when it comes to the boil, add about a tbsp. of lemon juice; wait until the milk curdles and you get a clear whey; immediately pour into a strainer lined with muslin; hold under cool water (as for pasta)to remove the extra sourness and to stop the cooking process; tie into a tight bundle and rest for about 2 hours with a weight on top.

Unfortunately, I'm the only one in my household with an inclination for Indian food. I love anything Indian! Your Butter Paneer Masala sure looks like it would hit the spot right about now. I'm craving some!

I love Indian food and learned something new about soaking paneer. I have been on a mission trying to find it and finally found a place. Unfortunately they were out but should have a shipment soon so keep your fingers crossed.

This is one of my favorite dishes. Your version looks fantastic. I've been to Little India and really enjoyed wandering around and looking through the stores. In London, I get my paneer at a nearby Indian grocery store. One of these days I will make my own.

You are so lucky to have a little India? Oh man, no such thing here, maybe in Boston though, but it would be called really little India.I love a good buttery (and I mean buttery) masala. Who gets to eat all your leftovers? LOL

You're into the Indian Cooking for the last couple of weeks. :) This is the one Indian dish I have a hard time liking. Maybe because my Mother in law doesn't ever make it. Indian food is just not known for their cheese, not like the Italians right? I'm amused at how experimental you are with all ethnic dishes. I'm a frequent visitor for that reason as each time I click on your site I think to myself what else can this guy come up with? ;)

Ohhhhhhhh man ... I'm kicking myself for not picking up some paneer when I was at the indian grocery store yesterday! Kevin, your recipes haven't let me down yet ... so I'm pretty sure this tastes as great as it looks.

I used your recipe with a few substitutions:tofu for paneer, diced tomatoes for pureed, and sour cream instead of yogurt. I added more cashews at the end because the dish needed some texture.Overall, a great dish! Thanks for sharing :)

Hi Kevin, first time here....A big hi from Kerala, South India...yes you are right paneer hardens after frying and we always soak in water...but to be on the healthier side for everyday cooking I omit the frying part...paneer butter masala looks yummmy...happy to follow u...visit my space for more Indian foods...http://nisahomey.blogspot.com

mmm, sounds yummy! I make a similar dish but it has fenugreek leaves in the sauce. So yummy!Also, do you make your own paneer? I always do mine, so easy! I made some tonight as a matter of fact! Delish!

I also make my own paneer. Since you like paneer, you might like this recipe with shah jeera - it has a very different aroma from other Indian spices and worth a try. The dish is very light despite the royal spice http://omnivore-almostveg.blogspot.com/2011/06/paneer-and-shahjeera-royal-match.html

Hi Kevin, This is a very nice Paneer recipe. For all the folks who can't find Paneer. Below is a very easy way to prepare it at home.Take a packet of milk, and bring it to boil. Turn the flame down and add some yogurt until the milk starts to seperate. Once that is done..drain the water and what you are left with is homemade Paneer.

Post a Comment

About Me

I came to realize that my meals were boring and that I had been eating the same few dishes over and over again for years. It was time for a change! I now spend my free time searching for, creating and trying tasty new recipes in my closet sized kitchen.